Clasp.



F. A. BALLOU.

CLASP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.3I. 1911.

1,287,826. Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

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UNITED %TATE% PATENT @TFTQE.

FREDERICK A. BALLOU, 0F NAYATT, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO A. BALLOU & CO. INC., 015 PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND.

CLASP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

Application filed August 31, 1917. Serial No, 189,070.

Clasps, of which the following is a specifi cation.

This invention relates to clasps for lingerie and is designed more particularly to hold shoulder straps or the like of underclothing against displacement.

The object of this invention is to provide such a clasp with one or more thin non-resilient fabric-biting lips raised from the inner surface of one of said arms, said lips being formed at intervals on the face of the arm thereby providing teeth which will bite without piercing and retain the delicate fabric to prevent the clasp from slipping thereon, and also to prevent the different parts from the inner surface from one of the clasp arms.

Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view showing the clasp in closed position with the teeth biting into and retaining the parts of the fabric. v

Fig. 3 is a view showing the staggered arrangement of the teeth on the inner face of one of the clasp arms. 7

Fig. 4. is a View showing another arrangement of a plurality of teeth formed on the inner face of one of the clasp arms.

3 showing the inturned portions raised from the inner surface of one of the clasp arms.

Fig. 6 is a view of the inner surface of one of the clasp arms showin a modification which is that of the provlsion of two longitudinally disposed elongated inturned thin edged ribs raised from the inner surface of one of the clasp arms.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section on line 77 of Fig. 6 showing the raised ribs on one of the arms of the clasp.

My improved form of lingerie clasp is constructed perferably from a strip of thin sheet metal which is folded upon itself as at 10, providing an upper arm 11 and a lower arm 12 yieldably joined together at the fold 10, said arms being oppositely disposed and spaced apart to engage the goods between them.

The free ends of both of these arms are turned inwardly toward each other as at 13 and 14, respectively, whereby when the arms are brought toward each other one of these rounded ends snaps over that of the other, providing a yielda-ble lock for releasably retaining the two arms in closed position.

It is found in practice, that owing to the extremely fine, sheer, delicate fabric worn by women in the summer time, that a special form of clasp must be-provided in order to retain such thin fabric and to hold the parts thereof against displacement and also to prevent the clasp from slipping about when engaging the fabric. To accomplish this in a simple and effective way, applicant has provided a plurality of so-called'teeth or raised portions having thin edges adapted to firmly bite, but not to perforate, cut or injure the fabric they are designed to engage.

These teeth may be formed in a number ofdifferent ways, the preferred form being that illustrated in Fig. 1 in which the teeth 15 are formed by cutting and bending small sections of the stock of one of the arms from the back or outer surface inwardly to extend toward the opposite arm and these teeth are preferably formed with oval engaging surfaces and are arranged in a staggered man- Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig.

ner, whereby their thin edges engage the fabric at intervals first on one side' and then on the other whereby the maximum efficiency two elongated parallel ribs 16, the thin edges of which, illustrated in 'l, engage and grip the fabric against the inner side of the opposite arin, but as above described, the engaging of this thin, sheer, delicate fabric at intervals and in a zigzag manne', renders the bite or grip most effective, but any other arrangement of inturned, thin-edged, nonresilient teeth may lee employed Without departing from the spirit and scope of my, invention.

The device is extremely practical, simple and inexpensive in construction and eflective in its operation.

The foregoing description is directed solely toward the construction of clasp illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of. resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention loeing defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claim.

1 claim:

A clasp comprising an elongated'strip of metal folded upon itself providing two spaced-apart resilient arms connected at the bend, the free end of each arnrloeing curved inwardly to snap one over the other, one of said arms being provided on its inner surface With a plurality of lips arranged in staggering relation, each lip having a thin biting edge having one edge out from the stock and raised from the plane of the inner surface of one of said arms.

in testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of a Witness.

FREDERICK A. BALLOU.

Witness i-lotvenn Barrow. 

